The President of Ivory Coast Alassane Ouattara has granted an amnesty for former first lady Simone Gbagbo.
The declaration of the amnesty was announced by the President on Monday in a state TV broadcast. It affects some 800 convicts.
Simone Gbagbo, wife of ex-president, Laurent Gbagbo had been convicted of offences against the state during a brief 2011 civil war.
Her 2017 acquittal was overturned by the country’s Supreme Court last month. She had been cleared of crimes against humanity by an Ivorian Court earlier.
She had been charged following violence in the aftermath of the 2010 presidential poll which claimed more than 3,000 lives.
Violence erupted in Ivory Coast shortly after the elections when Mrs. Gbagbo’s husband and then president Laurent refused to concede defeat to current president, Alassane Ouattara.
The charges from the prosecution’s team that Simone Gbagbo, 67, headed a crisis cell and attempted buying weapons were dismissed by the court.
The Supreme Court overturned that acquittal but President Ouattara has decided to include her in an amnesty package.
“Because of my commitment to peace and true reconciliation, I proceeded to sign this day an amnesty order … which will benefit 800 of our citizens,” Ouattara said.
The International Criminal Court also wants Simone to face similar charges, but Ivory Coast has refused to extradite her to the Hague.
Simone and her husband were arrested in 2011 after troops stormed their hideout in Abidjan.
She had been serving a 20-year prison term for undermining state security.
Source: Africafeeds.com
